Stop saying 'Just'

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Dear Reader,

Client:
  • "I just need a blog."
  • "It's just a website."
  • "I just need a shopping cart."

In our industry “just” is a red flag, especially when it is coming from a non-technical person like a client or manager.

When you hear “I just…” in a discovery meeting, immediately stop and dive deeper. Unpack their entire idea until you are clear what they are asking for and you can described it back to them. Ask for clarification. Keep digging until you have explored exactly what they are “just” asking for.

Software development is a process of details. “Just” helps someone gloss over details and only look at the big picture. Like the iceberg that sunk the Titanic, most of the details of any software project is beneath the surface.

The next time you are tempted to say “I just need…”, just stop.


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